Here’s a nice little review of Little Played Little Bird by jazz historian and author Scotty Yanow, for LA Jazz Scene. A brief pull: The lack of an alto and trumpet allows the quintet to get a bit of distance from Ornette Coleman’s recordings, as does the utilization of Iago’s Fender Rhodes. The music is explored on its own terms. Ranging from free bop romps to lyrical ballad statements, with the highpoints including spirited renditions of “Friends And Neighbors” and “Check Up,” these fresh and adventurous interpretations cast new light on Ornette Coleman’s songs. Little Played Little Bird is easily recommended and available from www.origin-records.com.Read More →

Here’s a nice review from Dave Sumner’s excellent Bird is the Worm jazz blog. Dave is an editor at Allaboutjazz.com and a writer for eMusic.com as well as MusicIsGood.org. It’s a nice piece of writing, and I hate to excerpt from it, but here are some choice bits: Taking ownership of a series of obscure Ornette Coleman songs, drummer Todd Bishop shines them through a facet of his own view of the music, while leaving the beating heart of the originals intact, not a scratch upon them. Most strikingly, the album is an easy listen. Not in the sense that it’s straight-forward, but instead, BishopRead More →